Charles Johnson Open • Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 11:22 pm PDT • Views: 175
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Charles Johnson is the Arlen Specter of the blogosphere. I don't mean this derisively. Once blind, Specter may well be the bastard son of Wade Boggs and Ted Williams, happily supporting a "robust public option."
So, even though Johnson's split with the wingnuts has been well-chronicled, it's still a tad disorienting to see him adopting one of the reality-based community's most cherished googlebombs.
Odd, yes. Weird, yes! But at the same time, kinda delightful!
There is an excellent comment too:
What's really frightening is that Charles hasn't changed in the slightest. He's always had a low tolerance of bullshit. It's just that the bullshit being shoveled out but the wingnuts these days is so thick and dumb that he can't help but stand against it.
Those who think Charles used to be the devil and said completely outrageous and vile things about him in the past, and now thinks he's "ok" because he "changed" to "side with them" are just as dumb and partisan as those who used to think he was the greatest thing since sliced bread, but now hangout at a Stalker site saying completely vile things about him 24/7 because he "changed". That bottom comment is spot on though.
Heh. Instaputz is just amazed that Charles is adopting thegoogle bomb term 'shrieking harpy' for Pam Gellar, because it originated in the snarkosphere and was a grassroots effort by commenters on many, many lib and prog blogs. The tradition continues to this day.
Now when I google shrieking harpy though, the first return is still Atlas Shrugs, but the second is now LGF posting about her.
Those who think Charles used to be the devil and said completely outrageous and vile things about him in the past, and now thinks he's "ok" because he "changed" to "side with them" are just as dumb and partisan as those who used to think he was the greatest thing since sliced bread, but now hangout at a Stalker site saying completely vile things about him 24/7 because he "changed". That bottom comment is spot on though.
I'd have to check, but I don't think Instaputz was a major LGF hater. He was just going by what he'd heard about LGF-- i.e., comments by Iron Fist, Zombie.
Haven't read him much though. He's mostly about snarking on Instapundit, obviously.
Olbermann tonight: " ... total mindless, morally bankrupt, knee-jerk, fascistic hatred, without which Michelle Malkin would just be a big mashed-up bag of meat with lipstick on it."
Olbermann tonight: " ... total mindless, morally bankrupt, knee-jerk, fascistic hatred, without which Michelle Malkin would just be a big mashed-up bag of meat with lipstick on it."
World-class journalism in action!
Link?
I can believe it. Olbermann is the left's blowhard version of O'reilly-- and Olbermann also traffics in misogyny, apparently.
Honestly, I agree with the rest of his assessment of Malkin, but this:
Michelle Malkin would just be a big mashed-up bag of meat with lipstick on it."
Interesting how every kook with a swastika sign or foaming at the mouth talk-show host is emblematic of the 'angry right' in the eyes of progressives, but the tried and true 'No True Scotsman' defense is applicable to the Keith Olbermans and William Ayers on the left. They can detatch themselves to vile people like that at their leisure...
Interesting how every kook with a swastika sign or foaming at the mouth talk-show host is emblematic of the 'angry right' in the eyes of progressives, but the tried and true 'No True Scotsman' defense is applicable to the Keith Olbermans and William Ayers on the left. They can detatch themselves to vile people like that at their leisure...
Let's not pretend I defended either Bill Ayers or Keith Olbermann in my comment, or made a sweeping generalisation about the right...like the one you just made about 'progressives'.
It's not about defending Ayers or Olberman- it's about conveniently distancing yourselves from them while every Klansman, Paulian or Alex Jones (redundant, I know) is supposedly emblematic of opposition to President 0bama.
It's not about defending Ayers or Olberman- it's about conveniently distancing yourselves from them while every Klansman, Paulian or Alex Jones (redundant, I know) is supposedly emblematic of opposition to President 0bama.
Oh this crazy bullshit again. Massive strawman argument, unhinged accusations which are sweeping generalisations about 'all' progressives, the demand that I stand in for the straw liberal in your head that you'd like to debate.
Sorry. Not playing. I've got someone more important to talk to. Later.
Speaking of, I found my dream office for a mere $10k, plus transportation and setup. Mr. Heat does not share my enthusiasm or vision, however. Me? Practically giddy. His feet are dug firmly in the sand. Mr. Heat, aka Mr. Dream Killer.
Ah...the Ozark Mtn Railcar page- Lord knows how many hours I wasted going through that page. That's a fixer-upper if there ever was one. Failing that, you could always go for the RV on flatcars.
I thought I was the dreamkiller. Guess I've been demoted. *pout*
As for today's Train of Thought, think of the leaves as 'rusting'.
You're both stinking dream killers! And you, to suggest one of these nasty old camp cars - about as warm and inviting as a pelvic exam in the Klondikes - might be preferable to a 1905 mega fixer upper. Ha! Where's your sense of adventure? Men. Sheesh.
I was really hot for the woodwork on the old train car. It's gorgeous. That, and all the brass hardware still intact. Sure, it's a godawful project, but it still taunts me. It speaks to me when I look at it. It wants to roll clear across the country to become my secret lair.
Democrats negotiated with her for months; President Obama wooed her personally. Olympia wants amendments? She gets amendments. Olympia needs more time? The Senate Finance Committee delays its vote. Olympia opposes government-run insurance? Voilà -- the public option is gone.
The coy routine was working so well for Snowe that, as she walked into the Hart Building on Tuesday morning for the committee vote on the legislation, she claimed she still hadn't made a decision.
"I have certain inclinations," she told the reporters and photographers who mobbed her. And: "I want to hear more." And: "You always learn something new about this bill." And: "I haven't made up my mind." And: "Let's see how the day goes."
Finally, three hours later, the wavering lawmaker was ready to announce her position. Sort of. "Is this bill all that I would want? Is it all that it can be? No," said Snowe. "But when history calls, history calls." After this halfhearted announcement that she was, with "reservations," becoming the only Republican to vote with the Democrats, she added a warning: "My vote today is my vote today. It doesn't forecast what my vote will be tomorrow."
Ambinder on the last-minute about-face by insurance companies:
Insurance Lobby Miscalculated: Some Evidence
Let's get the chain of events correct:
Some insurance industry CEOs start to panic about reform. They press their DC lobby, America's Health Insurance Plans, to do something about it.
AHIP asks PriceWaterhouseCooper to score a few of the Baucus mark's provisions.
Sunday, the industry issues what would quickly become a widely debunked report about what health insurance reform would mean for your health insurance premiums. Even GOPers are reluctant to use the report as a talking point -- so effectively did the White House and Democrats discredit it.
Investors freak out and start selling off their health insurance stock. PriceWaterhouseCooper acknowledges that their report was partial and incomplete.
Today, unbowed, the Senate Finance Committee passes the Baucus bill
Only then do health insurance stocks start to rebound
To lay my cards on the table: I'm for health-care reform. I don't know if this is exactly the right bill, but it seems to be the one that is politically possible for now. We can debate whether it will work in practice or not, but the debate can't be settled conclusively until we try it and see. If it doesn't work, they can fix it again.
I've rarely seen any come to the NW, except Trading Spaces, which I'm not sure is still taping new shows. The majority of those shows take place in California.
We just bought a clapped out house as a rental to fix up. I think Mr. Heat will blow a circuit if I add any more projects to the mix. He's about ready to redline, as is. Although, he's the one that found this crappy fixer upper house. Really, when it's fixed up, it's still just an icky little house and nothing more. The train car, however, is way cooler.
Probably 20 miles, max. And I think you also have to have tracks put down to set it on, don't you? So that's at least 70' of track, if the car is 70'. I don't think they put them on blocks like some old Chevy Nova, but maybe there's another way to park them. I don't know anyone who has actually moved one.
Wonder if that includes free shipping anywhere along the Canadian National system. If you don't live anywhere near the CN tracks, just wait 5 minutes...they'll probably take over whatever railway is in your neighborhood.
Have a friend from High School who I found on Facebook. He joined the Marines out of HS. We were chatting and he said he has worked for the Federal Government for 9 years. We've been out of HS for almost 30... so I said, "What are Marines? I'd consider that a Federal Government job."
He said, "Marines are the Marines. The Marines were organized, the federal government is not.".
I'm still giggling over that one. The Marines seem to take every individual that joins them and turns that individual into the same dude.
Well, if it would help I could always post more Christmas tunes...
I have only 71 more days of posting "X shopping days until Christmas" left and there are far, far more tacky Christmas songs available on the internet than just 71...
quoting:f there ever was one. Failing that, you could always go for the RV on flatcars.
A few years ago, an outfit would put you, your RV, and any others on
barges dead-heading up the Mississippi. Might still be in business. They
were rather pricey.
Probably 20 miles, max. And I think you also have to have tracks put down to set it on, don't you? So that's at least 70' of track, if the car is 70'. I don't think they put them on blocks like some old Chevy Nova, but maybe there's another way to park them. I don't know anyone who has actually moved one.
In Italy, they load very heavy railcars onto roadable "dollies" and transport
them down the Via Aurelia to other spurs.
If I'm not mistaken, the CBO has assumed the figure of about 500billion largely in Medicare 'waste' (efficiencies & fraud?) instead of challenging the assumptions.
One of the bigger questions is can that much money be gained through waste & effeciencies w/o cutting services. If I understand correctly (and whether we agree or not), that's an essential part the 'challenge' coming from the GOP.
If I'm not mistaken, the CBO has assumed the figure of about 500billion largely in Medicare 'waste' (efficiencies & fraud?) instead of challenging the assumptions.
One of the bigger questions is can that much money be gained through waste & effeciencies w/o cutting services. If I understand correctly (and whether we agree or not), that's an essential part the 'challenge' coming from the GOP.
I also meant (but forgot) to add the question that if 500 billion can be cut out by attacking waste/fraud/inefficiency and Obama's team sees the path clearly, why isn't the administration doing that already?
I also meant (but forgot) to add the question that if 500 billion can be cut out by attacking waste/fraud/inefficiency and Obama's team sees the path clearly, why isn't the administration doing that already?
James Taranto has been posting little quips about Britain's Socialized Medicine that are a hoot. Here is an example:
Great Moments in Socialized Medicine
Yet another dispatch from the Liverpool Care Pathway, from London's Daily Mail:
A grandfather who beat cancer was wrongly told the disease had returned and left to die at a hospice which pioneered a controversial "death pathway."
Doctors said there was nothing more they could do for 76-year-old Jack Jones, and his family claim he was denied food, water and medication except painkillers.
He died within two weeks. But tests after his death found that his cancer had not come back and he was in fact suffering from pneumonia brought on by a chest infection.
To his family's horror, they were told he could have recovered if he'd been given the correct treatment.
Perhaps it will ease the family's horror to hear the reassuring words of former Enron adviser Paul Krugman, a Nobel Prize winner no less: "In Britain, the government itself runs the hospitals and employs the doctors. We've all heard scare stories about how that works in practice; these stories are false."
Unfortunately, the CBO estimates are based on little more than puff; the bill contents they evaluated have already begun changing, and what finally passes will bear little, if any resemblance to the particulars they based their estimates on. There have already been over two hundred amendments made to the proposal, before it even left committee.
Also, "reductions in the deficit" are based on a deficit that has tripled in the last year alone, and is projected to grow to terrifying, astronomical levels in years to come. In short, this claim is little more than a sham, typical Congressional weasel-wording no different from claims that "w3e cut the budget!" when what really occurred was a reduction in the proposed increases put forward originally. Note that they aren't saying the deficit will be eliminated; only that it the rate of bleeding will be slightly less than the lethal gushing of red ink projected going forward. The deficit itself remains at astronomical levels by any measure, several times the worst deficits seen at any time in the past and exceeding even the percentage of GDP the deficit represents over levels not seen since World War II.
I also meant (but forgot) to add the question that if 500 billion can be cut out by attacking waste/fraud/inefficiency and Obama's team sees the path clearly, why isn't the administration doing that already?
Another excellent question. If there's that much waste, eliminating it ought to be a front-burner priority, no matter what the outcome of health care is.
Agreed. I always thought this graph from the Heritage Foundation was useful in showing why a health care overhaul might be a financial disaster. It isn't like we're not spending tons of money already.
Morning Lizards. I get the feeling I'm going to be driving to work in the pre-dawn dark, even after the so-called "Daylight Savings Time" kicks in. Ugh. So what fun did I miss?
Charles is getting very frustrated with the sniping. Look at the top comment.
Sad to say, but things like this have been going on for a while. Thankfully, today's morning thread seems to be rather tame, compared to some of the ones I've lurked about in.
Agreed. I always thought this graph from the Heritage Foundation was useful in showing why a health care overhaul might be a financial disaster. It isn't like we're not spending tons of money already.
I think every GOP member of Congress needs to have that graphic printed on a T-shirt that they wear at every session.
Oct. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Twenty-seven U.S. labor unions defied White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and announced their opposition to the $829 billion health-care measure passed yesterday by the Senate Finance Committee.
Great CBS news article about one facet of the health care debate. Lindsay Graham comes off very well, and the GOP would do well to follow his example here:
About half of the members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, use the Attending Physician benefit. For $42 a month, they can get all the primary care they need - physical therapy, X-rays, minor surgery, specialists and a pharmacy for emergencies - no appointment needed.
They also get VIP hospital treatment from the best doctors at Bethesda Naval Hospital. And they have a reserved spot at the elite Ward 72 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where the late Sen. Strom Thurmond spent a lot of time.
Outpatient care is free. Well, free for them. Your tax dollars pick up the cost.
Graham says in the current climate, it's just not fair.
"If we pass a law that says a public option will be made available, I think people like myself should get out of this plan and go into the public option," he said.
That's unlikely. Congress has voted down all proposals that would switch them to a public option.
Even if you're mad enough to vote out your representatives, they still won't have to stress over health care. Their plan is portable. Until Medicare kicks in, they can keep the generous coverage for themselves and their families at the same low cost, still subsidized by your tax dollars.
Nancy Pelosi is a multi-millionaire. She can damn well pay for her own medical care, and should, or she should only have access to the same health insurance that other civilian government employees get.
I didn't know about the lifetime medical benefit. No wonder creeps like Rick Santorum and Tom Daschle move the family to DC after they lose their elections.
Oct. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Twenty-seven U.S. labor unions defied White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and announced their opposition to the $829 billion health-care measure passed yesterday by the Senate Finance Committee.
Not to stir shit so early, but does Tim Blair having something against LGF? I just went to a post there from an Instapundit link.
These days, the more appropriate question to ask is "Who doesn't have something against LGF?" People from both left and right have been hating on Charles for a while now because he refuses to be a nutter.
I posted 4 links health care reform related on my blog recently: 2 of them were from Megan McArdle, who really is excellent reading on this issue. She talks explicitly in earlier entries about the issue of how these reforms and moves toward universal health care will hurt innovation.
Like I said, I don't usually read his stuff so I don't know if this is typical of him. I was wondering why he felt it necessary to call LGF the "crazy left". Felt like a cheap shot.
Like I said, I don't usually read his stuff so I don't know if this is typical of him. I was wondering why he felt it necessary to call LGF the "crazy left". Felt like a cheap shot.
"Crazy left"? Us? HAH!
Let me get my grill brush. Sounds like we've got a troll-be-que coming up.
Interesting. Basically, union opposition boils down to their realization that this bill will mean higher costs and shitty care for everyone.
It'll be interesting to watch the Left spin this reaction by one of their major constituencies.
Maybe not - maybe it's just that their "Cadillac" plans will be taxed under this plan. That was always Bush's program, to tax such plans, and since the unions were obviously going to get nailed the Dems said "Oh No!" to this idea.
Until they needed the money to even pretend to pay for all this new stuff.
The unions are maybe just as greedy and tax-averse as those terrible right-wing Tea-Partiers and other troglodytes... /
The Left will spin this to say that the program doesn't go far enough, and saves the rich by putting some of the cost onto union members.
The whole Obama era to date has been wasted in a historic, amateurish botch of the health-care issue. This began as a crusade for social justice — to cover the uninsured, whose numbers were suitably exaggerated, as most of them are people changing jobs from one health-insuring employer to another, or foreigners resident in this country, legally or otherwise, or the indigent, who are eligible for Medicaid.
Seriously? I'm not even a moderate. I am pretty right. But I refuse to get irrational.
Exactly. I don't think it's at all fair or accurate to describe LGF in aggregate as either crazy or left. It seems clear from various comments that I've read here that the blog has evolved, but it sounds as though it has evolved to a higher level of rationality.
The state’s ambitious plan to shake up how providers are paid could have a hidden price for patients: Controlling Massachusetts’ soaring medical costs, many health care leaders believe, may require residents to give up their nearly unlimited freedom to go to any hospital and specialist they want.
Efforts to keep patients in a defined provider network, or direct them to lower-cost hospitals could be unpopular, especially in a state where more than 40 percent of hospital care is provided in expensive academic medical centers and where many insurance policies allow patients access to large numbers of providers.
So MA citizens think they should have low-cost government healthcare but should have no limits on their use of the most expensive providers at the same time? Bollocks.
This kind of thinking is why I think a public option will fail here in the US. I honestly don't think US citizens are able to understand that the government isn't going to fund gold-plated, Nancy Pelosi level care to them at low cost.
My husband is in the military, and I've spent years and years figuring out which hospitals and doctors will accept the military family insurance as we've moved around. We can't just use any doctor and any hospital in town as a lot of them don't take the insurance. I know that many/most private health insurance policies have similar restrictions, especially HMOs. I'm stunned that Americans can't grasp that government-provided health insurance is bare-bones insurance, but we seem incapable of doing so, and there certainly aren't any politicians brave enough to tell people that fact.
It's a joke from last night. Walter is still around.
Hello Mike Myers, GET IN MY BELLY!!! Bugger. I had a feeling that was the case. I just wanted to check out what had happened. I think I'll start using "going to investigate Cthulhu" as a euphemism for going to the bathroom.
/Based on how the government manages the Post Office, Medicaid, Budgets, and Social security, I foresee no problems with an expensive new entitlement. And if you do, you my friend, are a monster.
“You can see it’s wearing him down a bit, in his shoulders; they are a bit more stooped,” says King. “It bothers me. ... This is a guy who is so proud of his district, was a real hero in Korea, who has really accomplished things. It would get to anybody.”
The state’s ambitious plan to shake up how providers are paid could have a hidden price for patients: Controlling Massachusetts’ soaring medical costs, many health care leaders believe, may require residents to give up their nearly unlimited freedom to go to any hospital and specialist they want.
I'm shocked, shocked that "nearly unlimited freedom to go to any hospital and specialist they want" and controlling costs aren't compatible.
I had my first child in an MTF (military treatment facility, which is what they used to call the base hospitals). I used those pediatricians for the first 9 months of her life. It is very much like receiving health care from the DMV, on a bad day for the DMV.
My second child was born at a public county (but civilian) hospital that took the military insurance. It was a day and night difference in the quality of the facility, the cleanliness, the courtesy and competence of the staff, etc, etc, etc...not to mention the attitudes of the doctors and nurses. The buildings were about the same age, but the civilian one had been maintained and cleaned to American civilian hospital standards over the years. And the difference between civilian and military pediatric clinics is beyond anything I can express in typing.
I don't oppose a public option per se, but people NEED to understand that it will be a bare-bones, safety-net type coverage, and that they will most definitely want private medical insurance and access on top of it. If they CHOOSE to only join the public option plan, their choices and access will be limited. There simply is no way to cover such a huge population without such limits.
But we Americans tend to believe in unicorns and other fairy tales way too often.
don't know...he pops up here and there, he pretty much speaks for me
I think I've said this before, but I always used to like seeing his wife on British TV. Barbara Amiel was often the token conservative on "Question Time", where 3 left-wing loonies, one complete nonentity with no idea what was going on and a token right-winger would debate topical issues.
My son is very health (vegan, in fact... ahem) and I advised him to find the most bare bones but most comprehensive catastrophic coverage he could get. Hasn't been to the doctor in five years, but, if he broke a leg, without insurance, he'd be screwed.
I have seen some dismiss all Heritage has to offer. Guilt by financial association. Wingnut dollars. I am not yet ready to dismiss the work that easily.
And Congressmen/women and their families should have NO BETTER health insurance than my family does. If the GOP had a brain, they would follow Lindsay Graham's lead on this issue and shame the bastards into dropping their lavish, taxpayer-funded care. I thank CBS news for putting this article on their website, and I hope it made the evening broadcast.
About half of the members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, use the Attending Physician benefit. For $42 a month, they can get all the primary care they need - physical therapy, X-rays, minor surgery, specialists and a pharmacy for emergencies - no appointment needed.
They also get VIP hospital treatment from the best doctors at Bethesda Naval Hospital. And they have a reserved spot at the elite Ward 72 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where the late Sen. Strom Thurmond spent a lot of time.
Outpatient care is free. Well, free for them. Your tax dollars pick up the cost.
Graham says in the current climate, it's just not fair.
"If we pass a law that says a public option will be made available, I think people like myself should get out of this plan and go into the public option," he said.
That's unlikely. Congress has voted down all proposals that would switch them to a public option.
Even if you're mad enough to vote out your representatives, they still won't have to stress over health care. Their plan is portable. Until Medicare kicks in, they can keep the generous coverage for themselves and their families at the same low cost, still subsidized by your tax dollars.
I had my daughter in a hospital in Canada. The hospital was dirty, Labour and Delivery was overcrowded, the nurses and physicians were rude, and everything was completely chaotic. There were no semi-private rooms available in Maternity so you were thrown in a dirty crowded ward. When one woman with pre-eclampsia started crashing, they couldn't find a blood pressure monitor (Dyna Map machine). It was the most traumatic event in my life...and not because of the childbirth part. And this was in a big University hospital in a big city. Not somewhere in the boonies. I adopted my second child...
I also meant (but forgot) to add the question that if 500 billion can be cut out by attacking waste/fraud/inefficiency and Obama's team sees the path clearly, why isn't the administration doing that already?
Because politically it's probably easier to do it as part of a large comprehensive bill than piecemeal. To get something through congress you have to have something for everyone (or something for enough of a critical mass of votes).
I have seen some dismiss all Heritage has to offer. Guilt by financial association. Wingnut dollars. I am not yet ready to dismiss the work that easily.
I'm not certain, but I think this graph may have actually come from Newsweek.
It's out of date; things have gotten considerably worse since it was published in the spring.
I think I've said this before, but I always used to like seeing his wife on British TV. Barbara Amiel was often the token conservative on "Question Time", where 3 left-wing loonies, one complete nonentity with no idea what was going on and a token right-winger would debate topical issues.
Here is a clip of the first ever Question Time. Check out Robin Day (the host). Notice that there's a cock-up over the first question which, in any case, was rather bland. The show went into a decline after this.
That does help. Thicker to navigate but its all there. For the "other" view the Economic Policy Institute has been interesting. Leans left as I see it but that affords perspective. Bring coffee, its terribly bland.
About half of the members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, use the Attending Physician benefit. For $42 a month, they can get all the primary care they need - physical therapy, X-rays, minor surgery, specialists and a pharmacy for emergencies - no appointment needed.
They also get VIP hospital treatment from the best doctors at Bethesda Naval Hospital. And they have a reserved spot at the elite Ward 72 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where the late Sen. Strom Thurmond spent a lot of time.
Outpatient care is free. Well, free for them. Your tax dollars pick up the cost.
Graham says in the current climate, it's just not fair.
"If we pass a law that says a public option will be made available, I think people like myself should get out of this plan and go into the public option," he said.
That's unlikely. Congress has voted down all proposals that would switch them to a public option.
Even if you're mad enough to vote out your representatives, they still won't have to stress over health care. Their plan is portable. Until Medicare kicks in, they can keep the generous coverage for themselves and their families at the same low cost, still subsidized by your tax dollars.
I would dearly love to know how many "small government conservative" former members of congress still rape the taxpayers by using this medical care after they have been voted out of office.
I would dearly love to know how many "small government conservative" former members of congress still rape the taxpayers by using this medical care after they have been voted out of office.
Delay? Armey? Santorum?
That sounds like a so called "cadillac" plan to me. Would be nice if the legislation they passed saddled each current and former member of congress with a substantial fine for having such a nice plan. My guess is they'll be exempt from those fines because "they know better" then the rest of us poor unwashed masses.
An average of 195,000 people in the USA died due to potentially preventable, in-hospital medical errors in each of the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, according to a new study of 37 million patient records that was released today by HealthGrades, the healthcare quality company.
Of course, describing one case in gruesome detail like James Taranto has done may make for a more emotional appeal, but we shouldn't be fooled by it.
Later, spokesman Robert Gibbs rejected a published report that the president had authorized 13,000 additional troops that were now arriving in Afghanistan. He said those troops were part of a deployment ordered by the former Bush administration, but had not made their way to the Afghan theater by the time Obama became president. The Washington Post had reported those forces were authorized by Obama.
The funny thing, is as we were talking, I'm thinking... I thought they'd have a "High Security Super Sekrit hospital bunker under Mount Doom" or something for guys like that.
That sounds like a so called "cadillac" plan to me. Would be nice if the legislation they passed saddled each current and former member of congress with a substantial fine for having such a nice plan. My guess is they'll be exempt from those fines because "they know better" then the rest of us poor unwashed masses.
Congress has a long, long history of exempting itself from it's own legislation. Remember the mandatory thermostat setbacks during the Carter years? Specific exclusion for Congressional buildings. Hiring quotas? Not for Congressional staff. Low-flush toilets? Not in Congressional restrooms. The list is endless, and health care will be no exception. Even if there's a terrific uproar and they are forced to change to a plan more in keeping with what they're foisting on everyone else, they will immediately start whittling away at such restrictions through earmarks and other opaque legislative measures, and within a year or two they'll be right back where they were before, or better - it wouldn't surprise me if they wound up being paid to see a doctor.
Seriously, he didn't speak to her, so he's "stand-offish". I said, "Please do not come to my colonoscopy."
What did she expect him to talk about?
"Hey! come here often?"
"What's your sign?"
"have you ever been anally raped with a garden hose before?"
"last time I did something like this, at least I got a dinner out of it!"
"Hey! come here often?"
"What's your sign?"
"have you ever been anally raped with a garden hose before?"
"last time I did something like this, at least I got a dinner out of it!"
Oh good grief. Cleanup on aisle 4, we have a Coke sprayed all over a computer monitor...
The worsening budget deficit is mostly due to the the financial crisis.
The bailout and the stimulus were extraordinary measures that were necessitated by the financial crisis that occurred in 2008. In addition, tax revenues fell at the same time.
The meme that Obama is a spendthrift is overstated. If there had been no financial crisis to clean up after, the deficit wouldn't be nearly as big.
I'm having a wonderful time but I'd rather be whistling in the dark.
Slow morning around here, it appears.
However, I either face LGF orifice my work day.
Kind of an odd article. They state that the authors of the study "applied the mortality and economic impact models" developed by another team, which raises the question: why use a model to arrive at such conclusions, instead of simply reporting actual statistics? Details of the model are never discussed; from that point on, only the numbers that fell out of the model are put forth.
Given that such things are accurately and widely reported and are as simple as adding to arrive at, the use of some sort of unspecified mathematical model to generate the results seems, at best, unusual. Also noted is that their results are nearly double those of an independent study done in 1999. The methodology used in that study also goes unreported, but such wide variance is eyebrow-raising.
I'd like to see some raw data on this - something as simple as deaths in-hospital versus admission rates would be a place to start, and has the advantage of normalizing the data per location. I find this study's results, at least as reported, questionable.
WASHINGTON (CNN) — The National Republican Congressional Committee has removed a tweet Tuesday that linked to a video comparing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with Adolf Hilter.
The tweet, sent out Tuesday morning on their official Twitter account, read: "Funny Video: Moonbattery: Hitler Reacts to ObamaCare Maneuvers [Link: bit.ly...] #Pelosi". It comes the same day the NRCC released a petition on their site to "Fire Nancy Pelosi."
The tweet immediately drew strong criticism from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "House Republicans have gone way too far. The NRCC's despicable promotion of a video comparing Speaker Pelosi's effort to reform health insurance in America to Adolf Hitler's extermination of millions is a shocking new low that must be condemned," said DCCC spokeswoman Jennifer Crider. "Republican Leader John Boehner should order NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions to immediately remove this vile Tweet and apologize."
NRCC spokesman John Randall said Tuesday the group had made a mistake. "We obviously made an error in linking to this video and it has been taken down," said Randall.
This tweet comes on the heels of a controversial NRCC statement last week that called on Gen. Stanley McChrystal to "put [Pelosi] in her place" on the topic of Afghanistan.
We talked a bit about this yesterday, in one of the threads about the GOP's epic FAIL on their new gop.com website. The RNC has been bumbling and botching their online presence completely.
The worsening budget deficit is mostly due to the the financial crisis.
The bailout and the stimulus were extraordinary measures that were necessitated by the financial crisis that occurred in 2008. In addition, tax revenues fell at the same time.
The meme that Obama is a spendthrift is overstated. If there had been no financial crisis to clean up after, the deficit wouldn't be nearly as big.
Take a look at the graph I linked, which is based on CBO estimates, and get back to me on that. The simple fact is that we're headed for a completely unsustainable financial catastrophe is we stay on the present course, even leaving aside stimulus spending and other recession-related expenditures.
Eh. Final question: I wonder if Ron Paul uses that massively huge and expensive congressional health care service? You know, since he's so determined to dismantle the Fed and the FDA and all.
Really, this would be a terrific 60 Minutes segment, and I wouldn't even care if they chose to skewer only republicans with the story. It would obviously be more fair to focus on members of the majority who repeatedly vote to exempt themselves from the kind of health plan that most of us have, but people who bray for small government while using that kind of health care service would be an easy target.
Take a look at the graph I linked, which is based on CBO estimates, and get back to me on that. The simple fact is that we're headed for a completely unsustainable financial catastrophe is we stay on the present course, even leaving aside stimulus spending and other recession-related expenditures.
And GW Bush put us on that path. A lot of GOPers still like to repeat that it was because of increased spending for the DOD. As a military wife, I can tell you that's a crock of bullwaste. Bush's domestic expenditures and his "compassionate" foreign aid expenditures (all while running increasing deficits) put us where we are today.
I think my town might be under terrorist attack. We just had 3 power transformers blow up the street and we had a fire a block away first thing this morning. Someone call DHS for me.
I think my town might be under terrorist attack. We just had 3 power transformers blow up the street and we had a fire a block away first thing this morning. Someone call DHS for me.
It's Bushs fault the defecit is 3x larger this year than last? I wasn't a big fan of the overspending during the last 8 years but very soon more people are going to be wishing for the return of the "spendthrift bush" years.
And GW Bush put us on that path. A lot of GOPers still like to repeat that it was because of increased spending for the DOD. As a military wife, I can tell you that's a crock of bullwaste. Bush's domestic expenditures and his "compassionate" foreign aid expenditures (all while running increasing deficits) put us where we are today.
I think my town might be under terrorist attack. We just had 3 power transformers blow up the street and we had a fire a block away first thing this morning. Someone call DHS for me.
The health care "plan" is going to come down to this:
It's not going to work as intended.
Health Care Companies will use this to an advantage to move people into lower coverage plans.
Unions are going to get screwed (not that I am opposed to this, mind you), but my costs are going to go up, along with my dues (spit!)
Medicare and Medicaid will cover 1 cent on the dollar (if the hospitals and the providers are lucky!)
The Medicare Part C (Medigap) HMO's are sure to go away.
And:
I need to point out that you cannot peg costs to what Medicare pays. Medicare payments are nowhere near market reality.
Good care is expensive. Really good care is astronomical.
It's Bushs fault the defecit is 3x larger this year than last? I wasn't a big fan of the overspending during the last 8 years but very soon more people are going to be wishing for the return of the "spendthrift bush" years.
It's not Bush's fault that we are running a $1.4 Trillion deficit to date this year but he did start us down this road with the bank bailout and the rest of government intervention. All Obama and the Democrats did was put what Bush started on a steroid IV drip with a dash of pork. If Bush had simply allowed free market policies to work with minimal government intervention, we would already be through the pain and into a real recovery instead of staring down the tunnel at an oncoming inflation and commercial real estate bubble train.
So, Bush did a good job fiscally and bears no responsibility for where we stand now?
I voted for McCain, and I even voted for Bush in 2004 (J Kerry? idiot democrats) but Bush's record is piss poor, and I don't defend the indefensible.
It's also an entirely different topic that bears no relation to the CBO deficit projections illustrated, which deal with the future, not the past, and which take an alarming turn in the wrong direction following a small decline (which still doesn't fall anywhere near as low as the worst deficits of the past.)
Currently, the deficit is worse than it has ever been, no matter how you look at it - in terms of absolute dollars, or in terms of percentage of GDP, which latter ratio currently stands at it's highest level since World War II. And it's headed much, much higher in the years to come, to completely usustainable levels.
Trying to blame this on someone who no longer holds office is ludicrous, and doesn't at all match what's shown in the CBO figures - a minor pullback, followed by a nosedive off a fiscal cliff. The Democrats control every branch of government at the moment - it's their problem and their responsiblity, and they are sucking at it, plain and simple.
TRENTON -- The Republican candidate for New Jersey governor, who has campaigned on a platform of ethical integrity and cutting government waste, regularly spent beyond federal guidelines on business travel while U.S. attorney, records show.
The newly released travel records show that Chris Christie occasionally billed taxpayers more than $400 a night for stays in luxury hotels and exceeded the government's hotel allowance on 14 of 16 business trips he took in 2008.
"Generally, U.S. attorneys, assistant U.S. attorneys and all federal staff stay within the government rate," said Justice Department spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz. "The government rate is not a suggestion, it's a guideline."
Christie said he stayed in more expensive hotels only when cheaper ones weren't available.
and
On trips in 2007 and 2008, his top deputy, Michele Brown, also exceeded the guidelines after Christie approved her requests for rooms in the same five-star hotels where he was booked.
The vouchers show Christie and Brown stayed at the NineZero Hotel in Boston on Oct. 16, 2007 and each billed taxpayers $449 plus taxes and fees for their rooms, more than double the government allowance for a Boston hotel room at the time, according to a General Services Administration travel reimbursement table.
and
Records turned over so far show Christie exceeded the government lodging allowance on 23 of 30 business trips taken between 2004 and 2008. In some cases, his travel vouchers were approved first by Brown, then certified by a third person. Christie, who was Brown's supervisor, signed off on her travel, either in advance or when she submitted vouchers, the records show. The vouchers were all certified by a third party.
Christie's hotel tab exceeded $400 per night on four trips. A night at the Four Seasons in Washington in October 2008 cost taxpayers $475; five nights in London were $401 each for Christie and Brown, the records show.
Try the Hampton Inn next time, you fat fuck.
If this is really the best the GOP can offer, I hope Corzine is re-elected. At least he pays for his own hotels.
And yeah, as the wife of a military officer, these politicians feeding at the trough really, really piss me off.
I won't disagree with the argument that Bush overspent, continually. My point is the current spending frenzy has nothing to do with the last administration. Remember the "we can't let a good crisis go to waste"? At this stage if all we had to worry about was digging ourselves out of the fiscal hole bush left, things would be rosy in comparison to what has happened the last 8 months. The truly scary part is there isn't any end in sight to the current spending spree.
Teddy Roosevelt first called for national health care in 1912; his dream came one step closer to reality, with the 14 to 9 vote in the Senate Finance Committee yesterday.
Teddy Roosevelt first called for national health care in 1912; his dream came one step closer to reality, with the 14 to 9 vote in the Senate Finance Committee yesterday.
No comparison. He didn't have to deal with a intrenched broken system called Medicare and Medicaid. He didn't have to deal with tort gone out of control. He didn't have to contend with big pharma. He had basically a tabula rasa in which to possibly build a workable system on, a system to would help, not take eventual total control of cradle to grave health care.
Teddy would have handled it much differently today.
Teddy Roosevelt first called for national health care in 1912; his dream came one step closer to reality, with the 14 to 9 vote in the Senate Finance Committee yesterday.
Which is going to be a nightmare for this country.
Good day all.
In case anyone missed this. It's funny that some on the left think Obama and his handlers are a bit whiny when it comes to the media.
I think it's less about growing a spine and more about the need for total control.
Wow! I missed some real fun last night by logging off and eating dinner. I did however make some awesome peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and ate half of them.
Wow! I missed some real fun last night by logging off and eating dinner. I did however make some awesome peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and ate half of them.
Where's the other half? My browser is set to accept cookies.
In New Jersey - you get a choice of total shit -or- mildly crappy.
Of course - Corzine - a mega-rich uber-lib, has the money to dish out the dirt. Never mind that he's driven the state off a cliff economically.
Teddy Roosevelt first called for national health care in 1912; his dream came one step closer to reality, with the 14 to 9 vote in the Senate Finance Committee yesterday.
And, this IS NOT National health care. It's a piecemeal system slapped together by people who have no clue what health care delivery consists of. Any system that is projected to cover 94% of people by 2013 is a non-starter.
Just thinking about the latest defection from this blog -
I don't think I will ever "flounce" or go off in a huff from LGF. But if I did, the LAST place I would migrate to is the festering sewer swamp where a lot of them have headed recently.
It is TRULY a nauseating site! Even by the low, low standards of today's wingnut blogosphere.
The Dow is up over 100 pts and may crack through the 10,000 barrier today. I don't know why, and I hope it lasts.
And since my kids' 529s and my 401k stand to benefit, I have no problem with the fact that this is happening on Obama's watch. It may help him politically, but it will help some of us financially.
Want to hear a real laugher? Despite the current disharmony in politics, there's one policy on which all of Washington agrees. Republicans and Democrats, House and Senate, president and Congress all agree that after last fall's financial crisis, the federal government has to regulate the financial industry more closely to protect our economy from risk of systemic financial collapse.
Here's the joke. As boom- and bust-prone as high finance always has been and remains, the greatest systemic risk to our economy is not Wall Street. It's the growing federal debt (and weakening dollar) being enacted by those Washington politicians -- the ones who want to protect us from Wall Street.
It soon may be not a risk but a certainty of generations-long economic stagnation and hard times as a direct result of "unsustainable" and ever-growing national debt, driven by a federal budget almost half of which is to be paid for each year by borrowing money -- primarily from China -- and already weakening the dollar such that foreigners are trying to get rid of their dollars any way they can.
Don't take my word for it. In June, the Congressional Budget Office published "The Long-Term Budget Outlook," its summary reading in part: "The federal budget is on an unsustainable path -- meaning that federal debt will continue to grow much faster than the economy over the long run. ... Rising costs for health care and the aging of the U.S. population will cause federal spending to increase rapidly. ...
Just thinking about the latest defection from this blog -
I don't think I will ever "flounce" or go off in a huff from LGF. But if I did, the LAST place I would migrate to is the festering sewer swamp where a lot of them have headed recently.
It is TRULY a nauseating site! Even by the low, low standards of today's wingnut blogosphere.
And which site is nauseating? Read your comment, you may not of meant this, but it sounds like you are talking about LGF.
The Dow is up over 100 pts and may crack through the 10,000 barrier today. I don't know why, and I hope it lasts.
And since my kids' 529s and my 401k stand to benefit, I have no problem with the fact that this is happening on Obama's watch. It may help him politically, but it will help some of us financially.
Anyone got a problem with that?
Not me, some of the stocks I bought in March are up 70 % and I don't care who gets credit.
Windhorse. He went nuclear nosedive last night, and started spewing insults at me and a lot of other posters before Charles booted him. He's almost certainly over at The Deuce by now, thus confirming he's a jerk. BBL
Not me, some of the stocks I bought in March are up 70 % and I don't care who gets credit.
agree. but you already liked Obama, so I would expect you to be happy. I'm curious as to whether some of Obama's opponents will feel the same. On this board, I'm sure many will. But outside this place, I'm not so sure.
Honestly, I have no idea what you mean by that statement, but I hope it's nice :)
He's basically saying, thanks for not giving in to temptation and joining the asshat brigade. Sort of an underhanded compliment, but a compliment nonetheless.
Dow at 9984 ... I'm off to the Salvation Army thrift store with a loaded car and some extra space in my house. Hopefully when I get back, the Dow will pass 10,000.
The Dow is up over 100 pts and may crack through the 10,000 barrier today. I don't know why, and I hope it lasts.
And since my kids' 529s and my 401k stand to benefit, I have no problem with the fact that this is happening on Obama's watch. It may help him politically, but it will help some of us financially.
Anyone got a problem with that?
I have no problem with it. I'm up big this year. My only reservation is that the commercial real estate bubble hasn't burst yet and could usher in a new downward leg. Take profits when you can because when the bottom falls out, it's going to get ugly.
Exactly. I don't think it's at all fair or accurate to describe LGF in aggregate as either crazy or left. It seems clear from various comments that I've read here that the blog has evolved, but it sounds as though it has evolved to a higher level of rationality.
My impression is that it resembles LGF pre-9/11, back when Charles was simply a website designer with a centrist current events blog.* The "season of rage" has largely passed, and now his attention has turned back to domestic right-wing doings.
*Content-wise, that is; obviously the size and sophistication of the place has grown.
Not losing as much money as expected is good enough news to put a little kick in the markets but I'm not sure that means things are headed in the right direction. I'll be happier when unemployment drops below 8%.
Honestly, I have no idea what you mean by that statement, but I hope it's nice :)
Every time you have a "Walter moment" by disagreeing with someone on here, the swamp members hearts go all a-flutter. I just meant, I enjoy your posts, even when we have the occasional pissing contest.
Would someone please explain to me what Avanti and you are talking about before I assume that some one is being exceptionally nasty!
The jackasses at The Deuce have a list of people they'd like to see defect to their deranged ranks and you and Mandy are on that list. They also have a list of those of us they hate and avanti and I are that list.
Would someone please explain to me what Avanti and you are talking about before I assume that some one is being exceptionally nasty!
No one is being nasty Walter, the guys at the swamp just think every time someone has a lively discussion, they hope for a flounce. Very occasionally, you have just that sort of discussion. :)
Would someone please explain to me what Avanti and you are talking about before I assume that some one is being exceptionally nasty!
OK, the Deucers have a wish list of people they'd like to see flounce from LGF. I know, it's sick, but that's what they do. Some of them even have set up odds as to who will flounce next, and how long before he/she does. This is in addition to their enemies list and people they'd like to see mained or worse list. They've been hoping for Dark Falcon, Mandy, and you to flounce for quite some time. Hell, TFK is actively campaigning for it there.
Well, it is on the record that you're ...what were the words?... an idiot?... I can't quite remember now. And the comment from WindFromHorse is lost forever.
The jackasses at The Deuce have a list of people they'd like to see defect to their deranged ranks and you and Mandy are on that list. They also have a list of those of us they hate and avanti and I are that list.
The Deuce has an enemies list to put Richard Nixon to shame.
The jackasses at The Deuce have a list of people they'd like to see defect to their deranged ranks and you and Mandy are on that list. They also have a list of those of us they hate and avanti and I are that list.
They really turned on you recently for the sin of being a intellectually honest conservative, and that's the last thing they want.
The Deuce has an enemies list to put Richard Nixon to shame.
Honestly, it's almost like Pinky and the Brain. "So what are we going to do tonight, Brain?" "The same thing we do every night, Pinky: Pray that someone important flounces from LGF."
Well, it is on the record that you're ...what were the words?... an idiot?... I can't quite remember now. And the comment from WindFromHorse is lost forever.
He actually called me worse than that. But I'm used to that kind of asshattery. It doesn't faze me anymore. BBL for real this time.
The jackasses at The Deuce have a list of people they'd like to see defect to their deranged ranks and you and Mandy are on that list. They also have a list of those of us they hate and avanti and I are that list.
Thanks. I don't think they have permission to use my name. Because of my playwriting and associated theatre activities, I have my name trademarked. That's one of the reasons I use it publicly, it offers me "branding" anyplace I go.
No one is being nasty Walter, the guys at the swamp just think every time someone has a lively discussion, they hope for a flounce. Very occasionally, you have just that sort of discussion. :)
Avanti, I don't think you understood me. I didn't know what "the swamp" is, I didn't know what "list" you are talking about, I didn't know who these "guys" are that you were talking about.
I don't get involved in ANY of this childish cross-blog bullshit, I gaze over it when it's being discussed here, and if my name or character is being "included" in their little games, I don't know about it and I don't even care.
They can move my name from one silly-assed list to the next, and it's not going to effect a single moment in my life.
OK, the Deucers have a wish list of people they'd like to see flounce from LGF. I know, it's sick, but that's what they do. Some of them even have set up odds as to who will flounce next, and how long before he/she does. This is in addition to their enemies list and people they'd like to see mained or worse list. They've been hoping for Dark Falcon, Mandy, and you to flounce for quite some time. Hell, TFK is actively campaigning for it there.
I'd wear the the LGF 2.0 "next to flounce" like a badge of honor. Those jacktards over there really need to get a life. Haven't they figured out that level-headed lizards like the aforementioned names aren't going to "flounce". What a pathetic bunch of lowlifes.
Assuming all this is far more annoying than dangerous :) You could be proud of the notice 2 bestows. Bets on flounce's? Silly.
Oh, they've made actual threats to Irish Rose, Cato the Elder, and Charles. It's more than simply annoying. It got their little hate site shut down three times thus far. Of course, like a weed, it sprouts back up again.
Hi, I'm back from Israel and jetlagged up the wazoo!
Here is a tip to Lizards: TSA in Philadelphia is the WORST EVER. They are even worse than Frankfurt airport security (what can you expect from Germans).
The Zadushka and I got off a flight from Tel Aviv (where we cleared security in a breeze), and, after claiming our baggage and going through customs, without even leaving the terminal, had to go through TSA security again in order to get to our connecting flight.
What assholes the TSA are, and disgustingly abusive to disabled passengers. In addition to the Zadushka and myself, there was also an elderly diabetic man, a blind woman and another disabled man who were felt up and humiliated by the TSA idiots. This in addition to the usual TSA procedure of separating people from their belongings and forcing them to strip of shoes, belts, and jackets, much more like a prison receiving line than of dignified citizens going about their normal business.
At least I knew better than to buy any liquids at the duty free store as these were all confiscated from other passengers.
I'd wear the the LGF 2.0 "next to flounce" like a badge of honor. Those jacktards over there really need to get a life. Haven't they figured out that level-headed lizards like the aforementioned names aren't going to "flounce". What a pathetic bunch of lowlifes.
I'm absolutely amazed that anyone here even cares about their juvenile antics. Gosh, does it really matter. You all are a bunch of bits and bytes in cyberspace and except for a few overly public fools like myself, you're "screen" life means nothing to anyone.
I'm really confused as to why anyone has the time or ambition to get embroiled in this pap.
Good for you Walter, I like your plan better, I just watch some other blogs the way others slow down to look a car wreck, but it's not a thing I should do, just a guilty pleasure.
That's just sad. One of these days they'll be sitting at their computer and realize, "wtf am I doing? These are people I don't even know. Have never even met. And whose worst offense against me is name calling and disagreeing." I've said it before and I'll say it again. Absolutely pathetic.
“He didn't have to deal with a intrenched broken system called Medicare and Medicaid. He didn't have to deal with tort gone out of control. He didn't have to contend with big pharma.
I donnoe Walter...
I’ve been on Medicare for six years and have no complaints. I purchase my prescriptions for an $8 co-pay thru the VA. What’s not to like?
I agree tort reform is long over due. As for big pharma; their drugs could be much less expensive if they dropped their multi-billion dollar advertising and promotional campaigns. The big daddy insurance companies with all their restrictions, forms and red tape make Medicare look like a shining city on the hill.
Just ask my “she who must be obeyed”... concerning insurance requirements and red tape and you’ll have to bring a lunch...! She works in a medical clinic.
I'm absolutely amazed that anyone here even cares about their juvenile antics. Gosh, does it really matter. You all are a bunch of bits and bytes in cyberspace and except for a few overly public fools like myself, you're "screen" life means nothing to anyone.
I'm really confused as to why anyone has the time or ambition to get embroiled in this pap.
Just an opinion.
Speaking honestly, I don't know how many people actually care (aside, that is, from the people receiving real threats). It's more a form of amusement to most lizards.
Charles what scares the living crap out of me is that there are more of them then there are of you and they could make some serious inroads in the upcoming election. I hope I'm wrong but it seems like the craziness is getting progressively more rampant in the GOP and the right wing Blogosphere, while the voices of reason are becoming fewer and fewer. God help us all if the likes of Beck and Geller are able to marshal enough resources and foist right wing crazies into positions of power.
Speaking honestly, I don't know how many people actually care (aside, that is, from the people receiving real threats). It's more a form of amusement to most lizards.
Glancing occasionally at some of the cross-blog comments that get posted here, it appears to me some get a lot of pleasure at over the top name calling, sniping, sarcasm and so forth. I'm just saying that's not for me, and I don't think it's good for anyones well being.
Charles what scares the living crap out of me is that there are more of them then there are of you and they could make some serious inroads in the upcoming election. I hope I'm wrong but it seems like the craziness is getting progressively more rampant in the GOP and the right wing Blogosphere, while the voices of reason are becoming fewer and fewer. God help us all if the likes of Beck and Geller are able to marshal enough resources and foist right wing crazies into positions of power.
I agree. Right now, I don't know how we deal with the crazies. I can't vote for their type, and I can't vote for most Democrats either (due to other issues). It puts sane people like us in a bind. The only ways I see out of this are either to 1, stage a coup of the Republican Party and knock the crazies out, or 2, leave and form our own party. Either way is a long, hard road.
Avid Editor is an asshole. This isn't the first time they (Odom's group - Avid, Rodan, etc) have attempted to smear their opposition with that assertion.
Avid Editor is an asshole. This isn't the first time they (Odom's group - Avid, Rodan, etc) have attempted to smear their opposition with that assertion.
Avid Editor is an asshole. This isn't the first time they (Odom's group - Avid, Rodan, etc) have attempted to smear their opposition with that assertion.
BTW, I would definitely suspect the Deucers as being behind that smear. They use Avid's site as a way to get around Blue Host.
Charles what scares the living crap out of me is that there are more of them then there are of you and they could make some serious inroads in the upcoming election. I hope I'm wrong but it seems like the craziness is getting progressively more rampant in the GOP and the right wing Blogosphere, while the voices of reason are becoming fewer and fewer. God help us all if the likes of Beck and Geller are able to marshal enough resources and foist right wing crazies into positions of power.
I always think of the quote, "The squeaky wheel always gets the grease" The Blogosphere is the way. You're right though, it seems that people are self reinforcing much more right now, and tuning out any opposing messages. I know we bash on the MSM a lot, but has the bashing of the MSM given the fringe an opportunity to make inroads because there isn't a credible voice opposing them?
Notice how the fringe attacks and seeks to discredit anyone and anything that opposes them, regardless of the accuracy of the opposition. which makes me wonder how strong their arguments are if they can't even engage in honest debate.
But honest debate may not matter if people are too busy blindly following and blindly listening to what they hear on the radio or see on TV. :(
Limbaugh came out yesterday saying, basically, either reporters retract the statements or he'll sue. I saw a small blip about it in an AP report, looked all over for the email he sent to them and couldn't find it.
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The father of an Indiana National Guardsman who fatally shot himself inside a movie theater said Tuesday that the families of service members returning home from war need to closely watch them for signs of stress.
Glancing occasionally at some of the cross-blog comments that get posted here, it appears to me some get a lot of pleasure at over the top name calling, sniping, sarcasm and so forth. I'm just saying that's not for me, and I don't think it's good for anyones well being.
Drama! I think it belongs on the Stage, not the blogosphere. But that's just me.
I just got hit with the AMT for the first time ever (2008 taxes; I took the extension but forgot to consider my capital gains so I'm getting hit with interest and such). Great. I guess with a total taxable take under $250,000 (and I live in S.F.), I'm one of the filthy rich. This country's falling apart. I used to believe that our economic system was superior to anyone else's (of any size), but with the way our 2 major parties have screwed us the last 10-15 years, I don't think so anymore. We are not a social nation, we're a a political/economic nation, which means when our common denominator -- the ability to amass one's fortune -- is taken, we're nothing but a mini-version of the UN with people from all ethnicities bitching at each other. Ironically, this Jew is keeping an eye out on the possibility of retiring to Europe (Germany or maybe the Czech Republic -- part of my family was -- and I stress was -- Czech, from Bohemia). Oy vey is mir.
Poor guy. I have to feel for the soldiers, who come home to the crazinesss. We obviously aren't doing enough for them, even tho mental health treatment is more available and less taboo than in the past. G-d! after combat, we should shower them with it.
I just got hit with the AMT for the first time ever (2008 taxes; I took the extension but forgot to consider my capital gains so I'm getting hit with interest and such). Great. I guess with a total taxable take under $250,000 (and I live in S.F.), I'm one of the filthy rich. This country's falling apart. I used to believe that our economic system was superior to anyone else's (of any size), but with the way our 2 major parties have screwed us the last 10-15 years, I don't think so anymore. We are not a social nation, we're a a political/economic nation, which means when our common denominator -- the ability to amass one's fortune -- is taken, we're nothing but a mini-version of the UN with people from all ethnicities bitching at each other. Ironically, this Jew is keeping an eye out on the possibility of retiring to Europe (Germany or maybe the Czech Republic -- part of my family was -- and I stress was -- Czech, from Bohemia). Oy vey is mir.
When I got out of the RA I was the S2 for that battalion for a year or so. According to the family and friends this came out of the blue. Alcohol was involved so I'm hoping it was a stupid mistake and not a planned suicide.
I'd look into Canada. Trouble with Europe is that it tends to self-immoliate every couple of generations. Plus, in Canada you get a free ride on US defense, and you're not more than a fairly short flight from higher quality helath care...
When I got out of the RA I was the S2 for that battalion for a year or so. According to the family and friends this came out of the blue. Alcohol was involved so I'm hoping it was a stupid mistake and not a planned suicide.
Alcohol is often an unfortunate component. Always makes things worse.
Four House Republicans are accusing a Muslim advocacy group of trying to plant spies.
Republican members of the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus say the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), tried to plant “spies” within key national security committees to shape legislative policy in its favor.
...
The book, which was written by P. David Gaubatz and Paul Sperry with a forward by Myrick, is scheduled to be released Thursday.
Wouldn't it be much easier just to IGNORE the others and not engage in the same stalker mentality? Discussing things here only seems to keep the accusations and arguments going.
There are disagreements and people that are uncomfortable with Charles' opinions can go elsewhere. If there are those that are intent on causing a ruckus here on Charles' own site, then he rightfully can ban them for doing so.
I just don't see where it gets anyone here, or elsewhere, to keep this up. It's boring and immature.
Also, Allahpundit has taken no action to remove the comments at Hot Air that falsely accuse me of being a child molester. So I have no choice but to complain to their web host, Rackspace, since this is a very clear violation of their Acceptable Use Policy.
Sadly, my cynicism is showing today. Maybe I should just go back to bed and start the day over :)
It's easy to let bile and noise get to you, but here we are all better and stronger than that, we do have our lapses however. I need some more coffee and less rain myself this morn.
I heard an interview on Laura Ingraham with Sue Myrick this morning. Apparently one of the guys infiltrated CAIR by getting hired as an intern (or something like that) and amassed hundreds of emails showing CAIR's ties to terrorists. He and his father put it all together for the book which is coming out tomorrow.
I'm curious to see how CAIR reacts to this. Ha ha ha ha ha!
Also, Allahpundit has taken no action to remove the comments at Hot Air that falsely accuse me of being a child molester. So I have no choice but to complain to their web host, Rackspace, since this is a very clear violation of their Acceptable Use Policy.
Actually I hope that you can file a suit. There is nothing more craven and repugnant than smearing an innocent man like that. These little trolls think that this is some fun game and that shouting the most base and vile things from the safety of the web is somehow OK.
Truth, honor and decency are not in the lexicons of these folks.
As to Rush suing you, I hope that happens to. You would win. It would generate endless publicity for your site and it would publicly out Rush as a total racist scumbag to the millions of Americans who don't listen to his ranting. It would be like Rather all over, only bigger and it would solidify you are the web's premier media watchdog blog.
I should say BTW, I am in a completely foul mood today. Somewhere between all the crazy I keep seeing and seeing Charles falsely and evilly smeared like that I have a desire to bite people.
At some point later, I'll post some new AGW stuff too that has me very concerned.
The bottom line is that my idiot tolerance is zero ATM.
I would suspect they do. For those who don't know, Eric Odom. Avid and Rodan have worked extensively with him in the past.
Odom, a Bob Barr supporter with libertarian leanings, opposes too much Republican involvement with their protests. Notably, he turned down a request from Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele to speak at the group's Chicago protest.[3] After the snub, the Republican National Committee released a statement saying that "They're just having a little fun."[6]
That could explain all the flounces over the stupid Tea Parties.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Internet is like body armor for stupid. Any ol' geek thinks he can do whatever he wants on the 'Net, things he'd never dare to do to a man up close and personal.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Internet is like body armor for stupid. Any ol' geek thinks he can do whatever he wants on the 'Net, things he'd never dare to do to a man up close and personal.
That is so true. And our society has become so utterly wussified. There was a time when it was understood that if you opened your mouth like that, you would take some lumps. I strongly believe that we have become a more coarse and vulgar society largely because of that.
Hi, I'm back from Israel and jetlagged up the wazoo!
Here is a tip to Lizards: TSA in Philadelphia is the WORST EVER. They are even worse than Frankfurt airport security (what can you expect from Germans).
..and yet, flights to Houston from Philadelphia are much cheaper than from NY.
One of the authors, Gaubatz, was in Iraq, bills himself as an anti terrorist expert. Leans Nativist/full xenophobe on immigration issues, and Astute Bloggers like him. He's more of the Horowitz/Frontpage nexus than the world nut nexus however. (Although lately it's getting harder to tell them apart)
That is so true. And our society has become so utterly wussified. There was a time when it was understood that if you opened your mouth like that, you would take some lumps. I strongly believe that we have become a more coarse and vulgar society largely because of that.
A lot of the time, I notice this in the online realm in spaces I share with the Mrs. Fish. I get guys making lewd comments or even propositioning her for 'Net sex right in front of me! I may not be the biggest guy around, but at 6' 3" and 200ish pounds, a lot of guys would think twice about hitting on my woman if I was standing next to her. But the Internet makes them think they can get away with it because I can't really hurt them. (So they think. Heh heh.)
I clicked through the comment link Charles posted earlier to her site and wanted to comment on one of her posts. It was a good one. The only problem is I can't seem to make that damn proxy give me the actual page link.
I clicked through the comment link Charles posted earlier to her site and wanted to comment on one of her posts. It was a good one. The only problem is I can't seem to make that damn proxy give me the actual page link.
Odom, a Bob Barr supporter with libertarian leanings, opposes too much Republican involvement with their protests. Notably, he turned down a request from Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele to speak at the group's Chicago protest.[3] After the snub, the Republican National Committee released a statement saying that "They're just having a little fun."[6]
yuck.
more yuck:
Co-Authors: Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans
Medea Benjamin is founding director of Global Exchange and cofounder of CODEPINK: Women for Peace. She lives in San Francisco, CA. Jodie Evans, cofounder of CODEPINK and a political activist for 30 years, lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Contributors include Eve Ensler, Barbara Lee, Granny D, Cynthia McKinney, Arianna Huffington, Katrina Vandenheuvel, Helen Thomas, and many more
How can we humanize each other and act as responsible global citizens? Stop the Next War Now, edited by renowned peace activists Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans, shares expert insight on the issues and powers-that-be that can lead us to war - including the media, our elected politicians, global militarization, and the pending scarcity of national resources. It aims to educate and reflect on the effectiveness of peace-movement activities and offers hope, through shared ideas, action steps, and practical checklists to transition from a culture of violence to a culture of peace.
Table of Contents from Stop the Next War Now
Foreword, Alice Walker
Preface, Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans
Introduction, Arundhati Roy
He was on Fox news in 2006, not sure what about however.
He has a nice background.
Dave Gaubatz
Retired USAF in 1999. Twelve years as a Special Agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI). Prior to 11 Sept. 2001, I returned to federal service as an 1811 Federal Agent, OSI. Attended one year of Arabic language at the Foreign Service Institute (U.S. State Department, Arlington, VA). Then requested by U.S. Government to deploy to Saudi Arabia (ArAr Air Base) in Jan 2003. Subsequently deployed to Nasiriyah, Iraq upon the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon returning from Iraq and leaving federal service, I dedicated my life to conducting first-hand CT research to educate the public and law enforcement to the realities of Islamic Jihadists who have dedicated their lives to destroying America. Innocent Muslims and non Muslims are the victims of the Islamic Jihadist ideology. Children are the ultimate victims.
Questioning the morality of someone we disagree with demonstrates a weak intellect and a lack of dignity and maturity. Their beliefs are challenged and lacking knowledge they lash out with anger and slander.
An angry rant about obesity, consumption, the people at Wallmart and AGW:
Yesterday, I noticed how many GOP faces in the public spotlight are obese. I made some people uncomfortable about that, and it got me to thinking. Now before I delve deeply into this phillipic, let me say that of course there is a difference between having a medical condition or whatever circumstance that got some overweight (as in not their fault) and eating an endless stream of cheesburgers, bacon, cheetos and ice-cream (as in it is absolutely their fault that they are disgusting tubs of lard).
Do I have it in for fatties? No, not exactly. I have it in for the whiny American mindset that divorces reality from desires and cause from effect. The short from is that the attitude that somehow, the extra helping of gravy won't make me fat, and more over, I am entitled to the extra helping of gravy, because I am an American, coupled with no notion of consequence, is exactly the same problem we have in our diplomacy and in AGW.
Yes it is your right to consume more calories in a day than many families do in several days. Does that mean you should do it though? The point is not to go and compare to the less fortunate as to point out that you don't need it. The United states consumes more than any other nation on the planet in terms of all resources. And we buy endless streams of crap with it. The crap defines who we are these days as a culture. I look at the Jabba the hut like creatures shopping at Wallmart, and I realize that we will never really fix any of the world's eco problems until it is too late.
No we are Americans, we want out cake and eat it too. It is much better to drain the health care system with an avoidable triple bypass than it is to actually not be Jabba the hutt. Who cares if the shirt we just bought was sewn by a five year old. It's cheap at Wallmart!
We want our SUV! We have the right to waste resources! It is not us! There are no consequences! We refuse to believe that the AGW is really real. Just like we refuse to believe that we really will get old, or that extra helping will go to our bellies and hips. It is ultimately a wide ranging denial of responsibility.
So what really got to me looking at all of those fat Republicans is that their philosophies show on their bodies. It is not their fault. It is never their fault. No, they just have an entire philosophy of economics based on endless growth on a finite planet. It is of course impossible. But facts do not get in the way of a fatty and his sundae.
Ohhh don't call the morbidly obese, morbidly obese, it hurts their sensitive feelings. Their over consumption and the attitudes that go with it are killing the environment and destroying the future.
Anyone who thinks that this was just about being overweight missed the point entirely.
A lot of the time, I notice this in the online realm in spaces I share with the Mrs. Fish. I get guys making lewd comments or even propositioning her for 'Net sex right in front of me! I may not be the biggest guy around, but at 6' 3" and 200ish pounds, a lot of guys would think twice about hitting on my woman if I was standing next to her. But the Internet makes them think they can get away with it because I can't really hurt them. (So they think. Heh heh.)
So, Republicans and "deniers" are also fat and gluttonous?
Can you not reflect on this occasion of our host being libeled as immoral by those who disagree with him and are unable to make intelligent counter-points as a cautionary tale about doing the same?
They are angry because in their opinion Charles doesn't take their preferred threats seriously so they lash out at him, demonise him and question his morality.
They use Islam and Socialism as their excuse and you use AGW as yours to demonise people. I've been accused of being a liar and a shill. What's next for me?
Of course your rant about obesity is not just about being fat, hell you started it off with a reference to the GOP. Which of course invalidates the rest of it to pure lunacy.
In particlular because minorites tend to be both more often over weight and more often, liberal.
Do they have a point, for once? Quotes that, if accurate, would be very damaging to a man's reputation, ought to be checked and double-checked.
I hope your point is that they never should have been posted as this is outrageous libel. The anonymous cowards posting such baseless hatred are contemptible in the extreme.
Can you not reflect that the attitudes in this nation I am talking about are the real problems. Those attitudes lead to the massive obesity across this nation. We have replaced meaningful pursuit for materialism and consumption of things we do not need and are actually harmful to us as a culture. This is not some small point to dismiss as invalid or not thought out.
Actually you are correct, the over consumption in America crosses party lines. However the GOP is the party that panders to it the most. G-d forbid we get off of oil. G-d forbid we demand that our clothing be sewn by workers with rights. Out source it! Make it cheaper, consume more.
No. I stand by what I say. It is not lunacy. It is the naked truth. Just not one you want to hear.
Ummm, did you canvass the tubbies to see if they are members of the GOP? Michael Steele isn't fat. John McCain isn't fat. The Palins aren't fat. I don't like Tom Delay, but he's not fat. Boehner, Hatch, DeMint, Coburn, Ryan, etc and so forth ... no fatties there.
Ted Kennedy was fat. Paula Deen (Food Network) is a proud democrat and is fat.
The highest concentration of obesity in America is concentrated in the underclass, which tends to vote democrat. I think your premise is flawed.
Can you not reflect that the attitudes in this nation I am talking about are the real problems. Those attitudes lead to the massive obesity across this nation. We have replaced meaningful pursuit for materialism and consumption of things we do not need and are actually harmful to us as a culture. This is not some small point to dismiss as invalid or not thought out.
An awful lot of that outsourcing happened during the 8 years of the WJC administration. You can't pin that on the GOP. Both parties are equally guilty of that one.
NAFTA was a big WJC accomplishment. Nutty Ross Perot and lots of conservative types opposed NAFTA. The Wall St Journal GOP types love outsourcing because it pads corporate wallets, but the actual physical changes (moving textile factories to China and elsewhere) mainly took place in the late 1980s (GHWB) and the 1990s (WJC).
Actually you are correct, the over consumption in America crosses party lines. However the GOP is the party that panders to it the most. G-d forbid we get off of oil. G-d forbid we demand that our clothing be sewn by workers with rights. Out source it! Make it cheaper, consume more.
No. I stand by what I say. It is not lunacy. It is the naked truth. Just not one you want to hear.
An awful lot of that outsourcing happened during the 8 years of the WJC administration. You can't pin that on the GOP. Both parties are equally guilty of that one.
NAFTA was a big WJC accomplishment. Nutty Ross Perot and lots of conservative types opposed NAFTA. The Wall St Journal GOP types love outsourcing because it pads corporate wallets, but the actual physical changes (moving textile factories to China and elsewhere) mainly took place in the late 1980s (GHWB) and the 1990s (WJC).
You try to make a valid point by starting with an obvious false premise, that is lunacy. It would be stupid, but I have read enough of your posting to know that to be inaccurate. Lunacy however ...
Sorry to hear you've become a victim of Tall Poppy Syndrome. I remember the ridicule that befell at least one talk show host, when he warned about the bedroom eyes the Dems were making at the AMT.
From the February 10, 2003, issue of National Review.
When Bush budget officials recently reviewed the federal government's spending habits, they realized they weren't the only ones looking to trim some fat. Federal agencies, concerned with our eating habits, were proposing a host of initiatives aimed at fighting obesity; clearly, it isn't just the federal budget that needs a diet. About 60 percent of Americans are overweight, to such an extent that they risk health problems; 20 percent of us are obese; and 5 million Americans meet the criteria for being identified as morbidly so. With rates of excess weight and obesity highest among low-income households, budget officials should be asking themselves why tens of billions of dollars are being spent each year by federal nutrition programs aimed at boosting food consumption by the poor.
That's the question Douglas Besharov of the American Enterprise Institute posed in a recent paper, "We're Feeding the Poor as if They're Starving." He examines the three major nutrition programs run by the Department of Agriculture and concludes that they are badly in need of modernization to meet the current need for less food consumption by large numbers of large low-income Americans.
The government spends about $35 billion a year on feeding the poor. The evidence that the rate of hunger in America is very small, while health experts now see the rate of obesity as an epidemic."
Anyone who thinks that this was just about being overweight missed the point entirely.
I think everyone who read your post yesterday is clear on that. It was all about snark and nastiness and bigotry and stereotyping, with not a word about anything else until you were called on it.
But I got the real point, loud and clear, from your original post. So did most others.
I think everyone who read your post yesterday is clear on that. It was all about snark and nastiness and bigotry and stereotyping, with not a word about anything else until you were called on it.
But I got the real point, loud and clear, from your original post. So did most others.
Sorry to hear you've become a victim of Tall Poppy Syndrome. I remember the ridicule that befell at least one talk show host, when he warned about the bedroom eyes the Dems were making at the AMT.
In every language, the first word after "Mama!" that every kid learns to say is "Mine!" A system that doesn't allow ownership, that doesn't allow you to say "Mine!" when you grow up, has -- to put it mildly -- a fatal design flaw. From the time Mr. Developing Nation was forced to read "The Little Red Book" in exchange for a blob of rice, till the time he figured out that waiting in line for a loaf of pumpernickel was boring as f*ck, took about three generations. ... Decades of indoctrination, manipulation, censorship and KGB excursions haven't altered this fact: People want a piece of their own little Something-or-Other, and, if they don't get it, have a tendency to initiate counterrevolution.
Frank says: